Attachment for automobile radiators



March 20, 1928.

G. C. J. GRAY ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMOBILE RADIATORS Filed March 26. 1927 Patented Mar. 20, 1928.

GABQOLD C, J. GRAY, OF HASTINGS, NEBRASKA.

ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMOBILE RADIATOR/S.

Application filed March 26, 1927. Serial No. 178,627.

My invention relates to improvements in devices for attachment to automobile radiators for receiving steam and overflow water from the radiator when the water therein is abnormally heated, separating the water and steam and permitting the overflow water to return to the radiator while permitting any uncondensed steam to discharge to the atmosphere. Devices of this kind are generally in the form of caps applied to the radi ator filling tube and communicating with the radiator therethrough. In the majority of cases these devices operate simply as overflow or relief chambers and water and steam separators, while in other cases the devices are designed to condense more or less of the steam into water to be returned to the radiator in order to reduce water loss. Where a cap form of device is intended to act as Y a condenser, however, it is generally inefiicient for the purpose because of lack of a sufficient area of condensing surface. In the use of some prior devices the usual overflow tube is either removed or stopped up or otherwise rendered inoperative, reliance being placed upon the attachment to take care of surging and permit vent of steam to the atmosphere, but such devices are unreliable in action, as when excessive surging occurs the pressure is liable to be raised so high, because of interference of the surging water with the separating action, that both steam and hot water will be discharged through the steam vent or an explosioncaused. In the use of other devices the overflow tube is allowed to remain and a portion'of the overflow water therefore drains out, causing water loss. i

The object of my invention is to provide a device which, while structurally similar in some respects to prior devices, will operate on a different principle, to which end I' provide a device which I term a defiator operating on the deflation principle. In this principle of operation the overheated water is allowed to freely expand and contract without water loss, except by unavoidable evaporation, up to the'point of steam generation, after which, through a determined opposition or restriction to the exhaust of the steam, the water is held bound under steam pressure, reducing surging and allowing it to heat up to a still higher 'degree without the generation of steam or with a minimum generation of steam, so that wasteful evaporation will be prevented, such pressure being slowly released, while the water periodically expands and contracts without discharge, so as to prevent any undue building up of pressure, so that extremely high heating may be permitted without danger of the discharge of a mingled stream of steam and hot water, without danger of an explosion, and without-loss of water as such or anyappreciable loss due to vapor or steam generation. By the use of a device thus acting in accordance with the principle of my invention, a single charge of water may be used for a much longer period without replenishment, a matter of long distances in arid regions, and in giving protection to the motor under certain conditions as when: the motorist does not give proper care and at-. tention toradiator water supply. In one (the simpler) form of my invention I provide means'for permitting a restricted discharge of steam directly to the atmosphere, while in another form of my invention provide reliable and ef'ficient'means for col-' looting and condensing, the steam and returning the water of condensation to the radiator. i 1

The invention consists of they features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure through a Figure 2 is a 22 of Figure 1. v v

Figure 3 is a vertical'section taken on line 3-3 ofFigure 1.

mountain roads or deflator embodying my invention. horizontal section on line Figure 4 is a perspective view of the baflie plate. Figure 5 15 a view show ng the devlce as used in connection with a condenser, the

latter appearing in section.

In carrying my invention into practice, I provide a cap or "casing 1, which may be made wholly or partly of sheet metal, or wholly or partlyof cast metal, and which is provided at its base with a threaded nipple 2 for connection with the filling tube 3 of an automobile radiator 4. This casing or cap isof novel structural formation, being three-lobed or of trifol'iate form, having an upper central longitudinally tapering, dome-shaped portion 5 and similar lower laterally expanded portions 6. The portion 1 is a vertical transverse section importance in the driving of a vehicleover 5 forms theenclosing wall of a water and steam separation chamber 7, while theportions 6 form the enclosing walls of anexpansion or relief chamber 8, said chamber 8 being by the structure disclosed, of considerably greater internal dimensions than the chamber 7 in order to allow free influx and efllux of the overflow water and regurgitation of the overflow water therein without interference with thesteam and water separation within the'chamber 7. A llOI'lzontal transverse partition or bafiie plate 9 separates said chambers 7 and 8 from'each other. This partition or battle plate9 .18 of generally oblong rectangular form, having reduced end portions 10. to bearupon the side wallsof the cap and whereby saidplate may be soldered brazed or otherwise secured in position; The longitudinal slde edges of this plate are fluted or corrugated to: provide V-shaped recesses, forming with thezfront and rearwalls of the casing connecting passages between the two chambers 7 and 8. The end edges of the plate 9 are also preferably cut away at an angle, as-indicated at 12,:in order-to provide corner passages between the plate and walls of the casing connecting the two chambers 7 and 8.

The device'is designed tobe usediupon the radiator in' connection with the ordinary overflow tube or pipe 13, which'commonly terminates at its upper end adjacent to or within the filling'tube 3. I' however provide this overflow pipe 13 with an extension 14", projecting upwardly into the casing l and through an opening 15 in the partition or baffle plate 9 and terminating at its upper end adjacent'to and just below the top of the dome-shaped portion 5. This pipe or tube extension 14 may be permanently fixed to the pipe 13 and gage the opening 15 in the batheplate, or it may be fixed in said opening 15', so as to constitute a permanent fixture of the casing 1, in which event it will be suitably adapted for detachable connection the upper end' of the overflow'pipe' l3. In

the present instance, the pipe extension 14 is shown as a fixed part of the casingl' and fitted at its lower end in an expanded portion 16 at the upper end of the pipe 13', the construction being such or casing 1 is removed the pipe 14 may be removed therewith. The mode of mounting the device upon the understood from the foregoing description and from the illustration in Figures 1 and 5 of the drawing.

In the operation of the device, when the water in the radiator 4' is overheated to a certain degree so as to cause its expansion, such expansion will f be permitted without loss ofwater, as the water may rise and fall freely without discharge, the water flowing upwardly through 'thenipple 2 intothe arranged to removably enat its lower endwith that when the cap radiator will be readily Iffhowever, the teminto the chamber 7, so that any will be separatedfrom the water without 1 interference and If the amountof isnot' of 7 pressure, a certain-amount of such steam or vapor on striking the cooler. walls of the chamber 7 will becondensed and the water of condensation will flow back into the chamber 8 and be radiator; It, also, theimpact of the water is such'that particles of the'water pass upward through the perforated baflle plate into the chamber 7, a relief frompressure will pass intov the chamber 7. steam or vapor generated be given in this chamber and, the force of the'water havingbeen largely dissipated by contact with the baffle plate, the water will flow back again into the chamber 8; It will be observed-that by the provision of the chambers'7 and 8, baffle" plate Qandtubeextension 14 fromthe' overflow pipe 13' any steam which passes upwardly into the chamber 7 will'be caused, if under sutfi'cient pressure to flow downward through thepipes 14 and 13' before discharging into the atmosphere. These pipes a column of air under atmospheric'pressnre,

which pressure is increased by any pressure of steam flowingiinto'the extension 14, owing to the comparatively restricted diameter of and, by reasonof this factand these pipes, the fact that the steam normally tends to flow upwardly, aresistance or impedance to the discharge ofthe steam through the pipes to the atmosphere is; at all times set up..

Hence when the" water in the radiator is heated to a very high temperature so as to produce a material volume of" steam and vapor, the steam will accumulate up to' a certain pressure in the chamber 7 owing to the stated impedance to its through the pipes 14 and 13, and lected steam will exert its pressure water in the chamber '8 and in the this col: upon the radiator.

Asa resultof'this action the steam will expand into the chamber 8 and the water. in the radiator will be held bound underthis pressure. Under this binding action steam may release itself fro'm'the water as soon as its pressure is sufficient to overcome the steam pressure in the chambers 7 and 8 and greatvolume or not under great finally returned to the I are normally filled with discharge to force out a proportionate amount of steam through pipes 14 and 13, but the water in the radiator will be held bound against surging with force into the casing and discharging with the steam through the overflow or relief pipes. No danger of an enplosion can take place under these conditions as, when the steam reaches a certain high predetermined pressure, relief is automatically afforded by discharged of a portion of the steam through pipes 14-13, but the loss of water, as such, no matter how high the temperature and pressure, will at all times be prevented. The device will therefore operate to deflate the water, i. e., release steam therefrom and permit of the discharge of a certain proportion of the steam generated, while preventing discharge of the water itselfunder severest temperature conditions, so that discharge of the water by spouting under steam pressure and undue waste of water will be prevented. At the same time losses incident to evaporation will also be materially reduced as a result of the established resistance to the discharge of the steam until it reaches a certain high pressure.

This action is permitted and due to the construction of the device with the chambers 7 and 8, the latter of greater dimensions than the former, and the downfiow steam escape passage formed by the pipes 14 and 13 and communicating with the top of the chamber 7, whereby, normally, water from the radiator is allowed to expand into the chamber 8 under ebullition up to a certain pressure, and separation to take place in the chamber 7 while under a higher pressure and temperature the steam is permitted to expand down into the chamber 8 and to place the water in the radiator under a binding pressure, after which the escape of steam is slowly permitted and regurgitation of the water controlled so as to avoid possibility of water discharge to the atmosphere. My invention is therefore of value in effecting a conservation of water, or solutions of water and alcohol or other freeze-prevent ing agent, due to overheating of the water in the radiator, and accordingly will be found of value in preventing losses of such solutions in general driving, in preventing water or solution losses in the driving of a vehicle over mountain roads or long distances in arid regions, and in giving protection to the motor under certain condi tions as when the motorist does not give proper care and attention to radiator water su of my invention for use in connection with a condenser for condensing any steam escaping through the vent pipe and returning the water of condensation therefrom to the ra. diator. "In this construction the tube or pippP In Figure 5 I have shown the appllcatlon ing 14 is arranged as before within the easing 1, but the vent tube or pipe 13, instead of extending downwardly through the radiator, is projected through the rear of the radiator beneath the casing hood and into a condensing chamber 17, said pipe or tube 18 having a downwardly bent or curved end 13 terminating close to the bottom wall of said chamber. The chamber may be supported in any suitable manner from the radiator or hood, so as to lie in the path of the cooling air current passing through the radiator, and said chamber may be provided with a relief or safety valve 18 or any preferred constructionand adapted to open at any predetermined pressure, to prevent any dangerous pressure from arising in the chamber. separating chamber 7 passes outwardly through the pipe 14 and pipe 13' into the chamber 17 and condensed in the latter. If desired, the chamber 17 may be normally supplied. with a small amount of water in which the end 13 of the-pipe 13" may be submerged, so that the condensing action. of the steam will be promoted and facilitated, such water also serving as a reserve supply for replenishing the radiator. Through condensation the water will rise in the chamber 17 to a certain level, but upon cooling of the radiator, a partial vacuum will be formed in the parts 1, 13 and 14 and the upper portion of the radiator, under which the water sucked back into the radiator, the radiator being thereby automatically replenished, as will be readily understood.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim 1. A. device of the character described comprising a casing having an upper chamber and a lower chamber, a perforate baflie between said chambers, and a downdraft vent pipe extending upwardly through the lower chamber and into the upper chamber and in communication at its upper end with the latter-named chamber.

2. A device of the character described comprising a casing having an inlet at its bottom, said casing having upper and lower chambers, and a perforate baffle between said chambers, and a conductor extending up \va-rdly through said inlet and bafil'e and through the chambers and having an upper open end terminating near the top of the upper chamber. 7 i

3. A device of the character described comprising a casing having upper and lower chambers, the lower chamber being of greater dimensions than the upper chamber, an inlet opening through the bottom of the casing and communicating with the lower chamber, a perforate bafiie between said chambers, and a tubular conductor extending'through the inlet, lower chamber and bafiie and into the The steam discharging from the.

I radiator provlded with upper'chamber and having an upper open end: terminating adjacent to the top of said upper, chamber; r I

4. A device of the character described comprisinggacasing-of trifoliate form the upper-portion being relatively smaller than the lower portion, a perforate battle between said portions and separating the same to provide a lower chamber and an upper chamber, an inlet: at the base of said casing communicating with said lower chamber, and a tubular conductor extending upwardly through said inlet and lower chamber and through t-he' baflle into and having an open upper end .terminating adjacent to the top-of said upper chamber.

5; The-combination with an automobile a filling tube and an overflow pipe, of a casing having a bottom inlet connected with said filling tube, said casing being constructed to provide a lower chamber and anupper chamber, a perforate bafiieinsaid casing; between said chambers, and=a steam conductor connected at its lower end with --said.overflow pipe and extending upwardlythrough the inlet of said casing and thelower chamber and battle thereof into the upper chamberand having an-open upthe upper chamber adjacent to the top: of

per end teri'ninating said upper chamber.

6. The combination with an automobile radiator having a- .tilling inlet, of. a condensing chamber, a casing engaging said filling inlet and provided with upper and lower chambers, said lower chamber c0mmunicatingwith said inlet, a perforate battle between said chambers, and a pipe communieating at its opposite. ends chamber of the casing and densing chamber.

7. A device of the character described comprising a casing having upper andlower chambers, an inlet communicating with the lower chamber, a perforate battle between said chambers comprising a plate having ser rated side edges and obliquely cut away end the said conwith the upper edges forming passages between said plate and adjacent walls of thecasing, and a tube extending upwardly through the inlet, lower chamber and baffle plate and terminating at its upper end in the upper chamber adjacent to the top thereof.

In testimony whereof I altix my signature.

GAROLD C. J. GRAY. 

